Susan Elan Jones MP – Statement on Article 50 & Brexit

On Tuesday, I drew up a list of 6 brief points relating to Brexit. These were based on local and national considerations – and are made in the context of my representative role as MP for Clwyd South.

The points I made were as follows:

• The UK Government needs to act for the whole country – and every nation in it. They should stop messing about & publish a Government White Paper.

• Freedom of movement means different things in different places. Local immigration concerns need to be taken seriously.

• So must local job concerns and the need for unfettered access to the single market. Any final ‘deal’ that doesn’t offer this is no deal – and I won’t support it.

• Iain Duncan Smith, John Redwood and others on the Right of British politics seem keen on a Brexit that cuts workers’ rights and environmental protection. I’m not – and won’t support anything that does this.

• We must take the concerns of local companies like Airbus and those too of farming unions really seriously. Jobs and the economy are not side-shows in this debate, they are the key issues!

• Article 50 is serious and final, and the UK Government should stop pretending that it isn’t. In light of this, I think there may be a case for a vote of the whole nation to accept or reject the final Brexit deal.

For the record, I will respect the majority vote in our area in June’s EU referendum and will not oppose Article 50 in the upcoming vote in the House of Commons. If there is an amendment to give the people a voice in a national vote on the final Brexit deal, I will vote in favour of that too.